Paperboard blank for carded items and combination of carded items and paperboard container



' y 8, 6 F. v. KULIG 3,454,157

PAPERBOARD BLANK FOR CARDEI) ITEMS AND COMBINATION OF.

' CARDED ITEMS AND PAPERBOARD CONTAINER Filed Sept. 8, 1967' Sheet I of 4 INVENTOR. 2 FRANCIS v. KUL/G July 8, 1969 F. v. KULIG 3,454,157

Filed Sept. 8, 1967 PAPERBOARD BLANK FOR CARDED ITEMS AND COMBINATION OF" CARDED ITEMS AND PAPERBOARD CONTAINER Sheet 2 of 4 INVENTOR. FRANCIS v. KUL/G July 8, 1969 F. v. KULIG 3,454,157 PAPERBOARD BLANK FOR CARDED ITEMS AND COMBINATION OF' CARDED ITEMS AND FAPERBOARD CONTAINER Filed Sept. 8, 1967 6647 v an FIGS INVENTOR. W 600 FRANCIS 1 KUL/G July 8, 1969 F. v. KULIG 3,454,157

PAPERBOARD BLANK FOR CARDED ITEMS AND'COMBINATION OF CARDED ITEMS AND PAPERBOARD CONTAINER 4 Filed Sept. 8, 1967 Sheet of 4 V INVENTOR.

FAm/c/s urn/1.1a

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 206-65 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The combination of a paperboard container with carded articles having an aperture through which passes a. rod or rack to assemble the carded article for sale which permits a predetermined number of such articles to be assembled on the rod or rack at one time.

The paperboard package is non-circular but tubular in form and includes a top and bottom side and two longitudinal sides adapted to engage the corresponding sides of a card. The longitudinal sides are connected to the top and bottom sides by inclined sides. At least one longitudinal side is provided with a tear strip or similar means for separating one side so that the paperboard package can be disassembled from the carded articles after they have been assembled on a rod or rack. The inclined sides are formed so that the corners of the cards are visible and so that the package in its entirety is substantially rectangular for ease of packaging for shipment.

In one form of the invention the inclined sides are each provided with a plurality of series of slits or elongated openings to receive the corners of the articles being packaged. The slits or separate openings are spaced apart or separated by a predetermined distance so that the articles being packaged will not come into engagement with one another.

In another form of the invention there is a continuous opening between the ends of the inclined sides of the package which receives the corners of the articles being packaged.

Background of the invention This invention relates to paperboard packages and, more particularly, to a paperboard package for packaging and transporting a plurality of carded items.

For the past several years it has become increasingly popular to sell various items which are attached or connected to a generally rectangular sheet of paperboard or cardboard. For example, many items such as razor blades, nuts and bolts, screws and various other household kitchen or hardware items are connected to a sheet of paperboard or cardboard and maintained on the sheet by plastic bubble or blister.

The carded items have a hole or opening at one end and are assembled on a rod or rack which extends horizontally from a wall or other stationary surface. The articles are displayed in this fashion and can be removed by the purchaser one by one.

Despite the prominence of the carded items form of merchandising, little progress has been made concerning the packaging of such items.

Generally speaking, the carded items have been packaged simply by loosely placing a plurality of such carded items in a box or container -for shipment. The merchant must replenish the supply of carded items by placing them one by one on to the rack or rod.

This is a time consuming, tedious and ineflicient task. As a result the merchant tends to delay replenishing the ice supply of such items until a slack period arrives but until that time the consumer may not be able to obtain the product with resultant loss of sales to the merchant.

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved paperboard package which is particularly adapted for packaging carded items.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paperboard package for carded items which simplifies the assembly of such items on a card or a rack.

An object of this invention is to provide a paperboard package for the carded items which permits observation of at least part of the carded item.

A further object of this invention is to provide a paperboard package for carded items which positions the carded items a preselected distance apart.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, the objects and advantages being realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

- Briefly described, the invention relates to a paperboard blank which can be folded along score lines the carded items to engage four sides of the sheets carrying the items for sale.

The paperboard blank when folded about the carded items is tubular in form in that the two extreme ends are open. Accordingly, a preselected number of carded items can be held in the package and the entire package mounted on a rod or rack.

At least one side of the package is provided with a tear strip or the like so that after the carded items are assembled on the rod or rack, the package can be removed so that carded items are displayed individually.

As disclosed herein the invention has two embodiments.

In one embodiment the package is constructed so that the carded items are individually mounted within the paper-board package and maintained a predetermined distance apart. This form of the invention is particularly useful where it is desirable to keep the individual carded items spaced from one another to avoid breakage. In some instances the item being packaged may be dangerous or messy so that it is undesirable that the items come into engagement with one another with the risk of breakage.

As embodied, this form of the invention includes a paperboard blank adapted to be folded into form of an octagon elongated and relatively with narrow slits in four of the sides adapted to receive the corners of the rectangular cards. The narrow slits are spaced apart along the length of the blank a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the card and the thickness of the bubble or b ster on the card.

In another form of the invention longitudinal openings are provided intermediate the ends of the inclined side in plllace of the slits to receive the corners of the cardboard s eet.

The invention consists of the novel parts, steps, constructions and improvements shown and described.

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the blank used to form the package of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing the package being folded about the carded items.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the package assembled on a rack with the paperboard package shown in phantom.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the blank of another embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the FIGURE 5 embodiment showing the package being folded about the carded items.

FIGURE 7 shows the FIGURE 5 embodiment assembled on a rack with the paper-board package shown in phantom.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIGURE 6.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary of, but not restrictive of, the invention.

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals are used in the various figures to identify the same elements.

In FIGURE 1, the paperboard blank from which the paperboard package is formed is shown in its flattened condition in which it can be stored or maintained until such time that a paperboard package is formed to package an article. As shown therein, the paperboard blank is divided into a plurality of panels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 which are formed by the longitudinal score lines 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 17. The score lines are characterized as longitudinal since they will run longitudinally of the articles being packaged when the paperboard blank has been formed into a container.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 2, the paperboard blank is folded along the aforementioned score lines to form a package which is generally octagonal in shape.

As can be best seen in FIGURES 1 and 2., the panels 2 and 18 are provided with tongue groove means 20, 22 which are adapted to be interlocked to form one longitudinal panel.

The present invention is particularly adapted for packaging carded items of the type having a plastic blister or bubble which holds the article to be sold on the card.

The card 24 is generally a four sided sheet of cardboard or paperboard which is generally rectangular in form. The article being sold which may be razor blades, toothpaste, nuts, screws, washers, etc. are located within a plastic bubble or blister 26. Of course, the bubble or blister 26 may be made of other or difierent materials if so desired. Any convenient number of such carded articles can be positioned within the package of this invention.

In accordance with this invention means are provided for engaging the four sides of the carded items while leaving at least a portion of the carded article open to view.

As embodied, this means includes a plurality of parallel panels adapted to engage the top, bottom and sides of card. One side panel is formed by the interlocking panels 2, 18 which is parallel to the side panel 10. The top panel 6 is parallel to the bottom panel 14. The top, bottom and side panels just described engage the top, bottom and sides of the card.

In accordance with this form of the invention means are provided for exposing a portion of the card to view and for spacing them apart a preselected distance.

As embodied, the package is provided with a plurality of inclined panels 4, 8, 12 and 16 wherein inclined panels 4, 8 extend between the top panel 6 and the side panels 2, 18 and 8 respectively.

In like manner inclined panels 12, 16 extend between bottom panel 14 and side panels 10 and 18, 2 respectively.

Each of the panels 4, 8, 12 and 16 are provided with cut-away portions or elongated slits 30.

The slits 30, as best shown in FIGURE 1 are generally oblong in shape and are wider at their centers 32 than at their ends 34 as can be seen in FIGURE 1.

Furthermore, the slits are equidistantly spaced from each other so that the four corners A, B, C, and D of the cards pass through the slits 3t) and be held thereby.

It will be noted that the corners A, B, C and D extend through the slits 30 and become substantially extensions of the top, bottom and sides of the package. Thus the package and the items packaged are substantially rectangular in form so that they can be neatly packaged in a box or container for shipment.

In this form of the invention the carded items are not only visible for ease in counting but are also held apart from each other which is advantageous in the event that fragile items are being packaged. For example, where the item being packaged is toothpaste, it is undesirable that the aarticles come into contact with one another since this may mar the appearance of the article. In fact, this form of the invention is not necessarily limited to packaging carded items but may also be used for packaging fragile items such as glass or even paintings where it is undersirable that the surface of the object being packaged bunked or marred.

One of the panels is further provided with means to permit the package to be easily disassembled from the article desired. As embodied this means comprises a tearstrip 36 which is conventional in form and need only be pulled to separate the panel 10 into two sections so that the package can be removed from the packaged articles.

In use a package of carded items is passed over the rod or rack R (FIG. 3), tear strip 36 pulled and the package removed.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURES 5-8.

This embodiment of the invention differs in function from the embodiment disclosed in FIGURES 1-4 primarily in that the carded articles are not separated by the package as is the case in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4.

As shown in FIGURE 5 the blank comprises longitudinal panels 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48.

In this form of the invention means are provided for accommodating the corners of the carded items to be packaged.

As embodied, this means includes the longitudinal slits 41, 43, 45 and 47 which separate the longitudinal panels 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48.

The longitudinal slits cooperate with the transverse slits 50-52A, 52-52A, 54-54A and 56-56A as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The blank is further provided with a plurality of relatively short longitudinal score lines 60A-D, 62A-D, 64AD and 66A- D which extend from the sides of the blank to the terminal ends of the slits 5050A, 52-52A, 54-54A and 56-56A respectively.

The longitudinal panels 40, 48 can be joined by a tongue and groove means, such as illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 2 or can be joined by an adhesive to form one longitudinal panel adapted to engage one side on the carded item.

The longitudinal score lines and transverse slits cooperate to form inclined panels 7070A, 7272A, 74 74A and 76-76A when the package is in the folded position illustrated in FIGURE 6.

The longitudinal slit lines and the transverse slit lines cooperate with the inclined panels to form cut-away portions which receive the corners of the carded items when the blank is folded into the positions shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.

-It will be appreciated that the inclined panels function, in effect, as stop means which prevent the carded items from accidentally being disassembled from the package.

As in the case of the FIGURES 1-4 embodiment, one panel is provided with a tear strip 80 conventional in form so that the package can be removed from the carded items as described above.

This embodiment is used in the same manner as the FIGS. 1-4 embodiment. Thus, the package in its entirety is mounted on the rod R by passing the rod through the opening 0 in the carded item. The user then pulls the tear strip 80 and the outer package is removed.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific elements shown and described.

In the claims:

1. A combination for storing and facilitating multiple merchandise display cards on a stationary rod comprising:

(a) a plurality of substantially rectangular display cards each having a top edge, a bottom edge and a pair of side edges, an aperture in said display cards adapted to receive said stationary rod and an article for sale mounted on the surface of each of said cards, said display cards being maintained in assembled relationship for mounting on said stationary rod by a paperboard wraparound having,

(b) a pair of parallel panels adapted to engage the side edges of said cards,

(c) a second pair of parallel panels adapted to engage the top and bottom edges of said cards,

(d) inclined panels connecting said side edge engaging panels to said top and bottom edge engaging panels,

(e) means intermediate the ends of said inclined panels for receiving the corners of said rectangular cards and for maintaining said cards in assembled relationship,

(f) at least one of said panels including a tear away strip whereby after said display cards have been positioned on said stationary rod the paperboard wraparound can be removed.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said inclined panels includes a plurality of equidistant slits adapted to receive the corners of said sheets.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the longitudinal panels are formed by a plurality of longitudinal score lines about which the carton is folded.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein a longitudinal and transverse slit means is provided between the inclined panels to form a space in which the corners of the sheets extend.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said inclined panels are formed by longitudinal score lines which extend inwardly from the sides a relatively short distance to engage the ends of said transverse slits and wherein a longitudinal slit extends between said transverse slits.

6. A paperboard blank adapted to be folded around a plurality substantially rectangular display cards each having a pair of side edges and a top and a bottom edge, said display card carrying articles for sale and having an aperture adapted to receive a stationary rod, said paperboard blank comprising;

(a) a pair of flaps at opposite ends of said blank having connecting means to form a first side panel, adapted to engage one of the side edges of said display cards,

(b) a second side panel formed by fold lines spaced equidistantly from the ends of said blank adapted to engage the other of the side edges of said display cards,

(0) a top panel and a bottom panel each spaced equidistantly from the ends 0 fsaid blank adapted to engage the top and bottom edges of said display cards,

(d) intermediate panels positioned between one of said flaps and said top panel, between said top panel and said second side panel, between side panel and said bottom panel and between said bottom panel and said other flap, said intermediate panels extending only partially across the width of the blank from each side thereof,

(e) cut-away portions in said blank comprising transverse slit means partially defining said intermediate panels and a longitudinal slit means extending betweenand connecting said transverse slit means for receiving the corners of said display cards when said blank is wrapped around said display cards whereby a plurality of display cards can simultaneously be mounted on said stationary rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 944,614 12/ 1909 Jenkins. 1,991,616 2/1935 Kondolf. 2,337,468 12/1943 Hilger 206-62 2,872,036 2/ 1959 Forrer. 3,270,944 9/ 1966 Baker. 3,313,407 4/ 1967 Palm 20 665 3,363,752 1/ 1968 Chaussadas.

MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 229--40 

